Topic : Nuclear Physics

Mass excess and nuclear binding energy

Radioactive decay
2
Recap
 Note : This
equation is an
example for
N balanced
equation. Do not
consider it for
alpha emission.
-1
 In alpha decay 2 protons and 2 neutrons
are emitted. Notice that this reduces
the nucleon number by 4 and the
proton number by 2. A new element is
thus formed.

In beta decay a neutron changes into a

proton (which remains in the nucleus)
and an electron (which is emitted as
beta radiation). The net effect is an
increase in proton number by 1, while
the nucleon number stays the same. -1

Again a new element is formed.

When a nucleus has undergone alpha or

beta decay it is often left in a high-
energy (excited) state. This energy can
be lost in the form of an emitted a
gamma ray. Because the composition of
the nucleus is unchanged no new
element is formed.
Recap
Einsteins Famous Equation

Mass and Energy are

interchangeable!!
 Where & When??
It happens only at
the nuclear level

When two nuclei combine

(Fusion)

OR When a nucleus breaks

up (Fission)
 Mass Excess
Nucleus
Proton Neutron
mp mn
mnucleus

When protons and neutrons come together to form a nucleus, the mass of the
nucleus is less than the sum of the masses of separated protons and neutrons.
This difference in mass is called the mass excess or mass defect of the nucleus.
Mass Excess (Defect)
= Mass of separated protons & neutrons mass of nucleus

m = Zmp + Nmp mnucleus

Where Z is the number of proton and N the number of neutrons in the nucleus.
 Atomic Mass Unit (u)
At nuclear level, the masses of the nuclei and nucleons
are so small that the unit kg is too big and clumsy to be
used.
Instead the atomic mass unit (u) is used.
One atomic mass unit (1 u) is defined as being equal to
one-twelfth the mass of a carbon-12 atom.
1 u = 1.66 10-27 kg
Using this scale of measurement, to six decimal places,
we have
proton mass, mp = 1.007276 u
neutron mass, mn = 1.008665 u
electron mass, me = 0.000549 u
 Example 1
Calculate the mass defect for a carbon-14 nucleus 146 C.
The measured mass is 14.003240 u.
Calculate also the energy-equivalent of this mass loss in eV.

Solution:
Carbon-14 has 6 protons and 8 neutrons
Mass defect = 6 (1.007276) + 8 (1.008665) 14.003240
= 0.109736 u

E = mc2 = [(0.109736 1.66 10-27) (3.00 108)2] / (1.6 10-19)

= 102 MeV
 Binding energy

Within the nucleus, there are strong forces which bind

the protons and neutrons together.
To completely separate all these nucleons requires
energy.
This energy is referred to as the binding energy.
Binding energy is defined as the energy required to
completely separate all nucleons of a nucleus.
It is the energy equivalent of the mass defect of a
nucleus.
 Binding Energy

When separated nucleons combine to

form a nucleus, there is a reduction of
mass and an equivalent amount of binding
energy is released.
 Binding Energy Per Nucleon
Binding energy per nucleon is the total binding
energy of the nucleus divided by the total
number of nucleons.

Binding energy per nucleon

= Binding energy of the nucleus J per nucleon
Nucleon number of the nucleus

It is a measure of the stability of the nucleus.

Example 2
Solution 2
Example 3
Solution 3
 Stability of Nuclei

Most
stable
region

The nucleus is more stable if it has a higher binding energy per nucleon. It
would be more difficult to break up the nucleus as more energy is required
to separate the nucleons.
The most stable nuclide can be found at the peak of the curve. It corresponds
to the element 56
26 Fe
It has the greatest mass defect and the highest binding energy per nucleon.
 Mass per Nucleon

Mass per nucleon is small when binding energy per nucleon is high.
Elements with very small or very large mass number are unstable.
To attain stability
Nuclei with low mass numbers may undergo nuclear fusion
Nuclei with high mass numbers may undergo nuclear fission.
 Nuclear Fusion
Nuclei with low mass numbers may
undergo nuclear fusion under certain
conditions.
In general nuclear fusion is possible as
long as the final product has more binding
energy per nucleon (i.e. less mass) than
the reactants.
The enormous amount of energy
generated in the Sun is due to this
process.
Energy released in the fusion process is
very much greater than energy released in
the fission process
An example of nuclear fusion:
two deuterium atoms fuse together to form
helium-3 under extremely high
2
1 H + 21 H 23 He + 01 n + energy temperature.
He-3 has a greater binding energy per
nucleon and is more stable than deuterium.
 Nuclear Fission

In general, heavier nuclides tend to disintegrate into lighter, more

stable nucleus.
Fission fragments have a greater binding energy per nucleon (i.e. less
mass per nucleon) than the original nuclide.
Example: Uranium-235 may absorbs a slow thermal neutron and splits
into two part, Xenon-144 and Strontium-90.
1
0 n+ 235
92 U 236
92 U* 144
54 Xe + 90
38 Sr + 2 01 n
Example 4
Solution 4
Example 5
Solution 5
 Radioactive Decay

Radioactive decay is the spontaneous and

random disintegration of heavy unstable nucleus
into more stable products with lower total mass
through the emission of radiation such as alpha-
particles, beta-particles and gamma-rays.
 Measuring Radioactivity

Radioactivity decay can be measured with a Geiger-Muller tube

connected to a ratemeter. The ratemeter measures the count rate of
the radioactive decay

A radiation detector can register a count rate of 20-50 count per

second, even in the apparent absence of radioactive materials. This
is know as the background count. The radiation comes from low
intensity radiation from small quantities of radioisotopes found in the
ground, atmosphere and cosmic rays arriving at the surface of the
Earth.
 Decay Constant
In a random process, the rate of radioactive decay -dN/dt of a
radioactive sample is directly proportional to the number N of
radioactive nuclei present. That is,

dN
N
dt
dN
N
dt

where
= radioactivity decay constant; t = time
The decay constant is the fraction of the total number of atoms that
decay per unit time.
Its S.I. unit is s-1
 Decay Constant
The radioactive law dN/dt = N can be
rewritten and integrated as follows:
dN
N
dt In general x = x0 e- t
dN
dt
N where x could represent
N dN t

N0 N 0 t (a) activity A
(b) number of undecayed particles N
ln N N t 0
N t

0
(c) count rate C or
N (d) mass of undecayed particles m
ln t
N0
N N 0e t
 Activity
The activity A of a radioactive source is the
number of disintegration it undergoes per unit
time.

A = dN / dt
= N
= N0 e-t
= A0 e-t

Unit of A is becquerel, Bq

1 Bq = 1 decay s-1
Graphical Representation
 Half Life
The half-life of a radioactive nuclide is the time
taken for the number of radioactive nuclide to
disintegrate to half its initial value.
Graph of lnN against t
 Half Life of Some Materials

uranium = 4500 million years

radium = 1600 years
polonium = 138 days
radioactive lead = 27 minutes
radon = 1 minute
 Example 6

Solution
Example 7
Example 8
Solution 8
Example 9
Solution 9
Physics is Great

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